Advice for an Ogre baby!

Hello all!

I've been lurking on the website for a few days now and thought I would come from the shadows and join the tribe!


I do have a question for all though, and I apologise in advice for any following stupidity that is written down.


I haven't played warhammer for a long time, but last year it started calling back to back to me and i started looking through all the army books and models I have.

I decided to start a V.C and began constructing a small force, but halfway through I just get getting pangs to play as ogres. Then the new rulebook came out and I decided that ogres were the way to go!

So, using the o.k models I already had and the plan to buy more, I've made this army list as a basic outline for 2k:

Tyrant: Thundermace, maw seeker (in I.G unit)
Butcher (in I.G unit)
3 bulls
3 bulls
16 Iron guts
40 gnoblars
10 trappers
Scraplauncher
scrapluancher
gorger
gorger

the basic tactic is to use the i.g deathstar to distract everything whilst the bulls flank, the gnobblars gnoblify things, the gorgers hopefull show up and take out war machines and back up the trappers and the scrappies get distraction free shooting and charging.

Like I said, a pretty basic tactic for the different scenarios.

That's about 2k, and it's kinda crap seeing as they are all pretty much naked, it need a lot of improvment!

So what, I ask you is advice on my army choice, what to take out and put in
and any basic tactics and hints for an o.k noobling


I know o.k are going to be hard to play with (i never won a game with them when I used them years ago) but they just have such a challengeing appeal (like dark eldar) that it has really re-kindled my interest in the game.


Thanks in advance for any help I get!

Welcome to the Stronghold! Don't worry if you think your questions are silly, everyone has to start somewhere and your ideas are more competetively sound than other beginners I've seen. In fact, you seem to have hit upon what many people would consider a very good build. There's not many changes I would make, the only particular one I can think of would be to drop the Butcher (a single level 2 is fairly unlike to get off any significant spells in games of this size) and replace him with a battle standard who can help keep the Irongut egg-basket from running (and can also take the Runemaw for magic defense). How to use the list and the nature of the minutia is down to your personal preference and/or game experience.

Welcome to the Stronghold! Don't worry if you think your questions are silly, everyone has to start somewhere and your ideas are more competetively sound than other beginners I've seen. In fact, you seem to have hit upon what many people would consider a very good build. There's not many changes I would make, the only particular one I can think of would be to drop the Butcher (a single level 2 is fairly unlike to get off any significant spells in games of this size) and replace him with a battle standard who can help keep the Irongut egg-basket from running (and can also take the Runemaw for magic defense). How to use the list and the nature of the minutia is down to your personal preference and/or game experience.

Hey man, thanks for taking your time to read through my drivel, give me some advice and welcome me to the stronghold!

0n the subject of using a BSB, what unit should I lose to free up points for the standard and BSB ability?

I'm guessing maybe the trappers as I'm already using two gorgers?

I guess i would then have to split the gnoblar unit in two to allow the scrappies, so maybe add an extra 10 gnoblars to each unit?

Are there also any other things i could lose to get some points for upgrading the ogre units or I.G's ??


Thanks again!!

(edit - fixed the quote for you. no need to make the text larger and bright red. thanks... Randroid)

Hello and welcome to the Stronghold!

Please take a moment to read the forum primer:
http://www.ogrestronghold.com/forum/index.php?topic=7241.0

No need to post duplicate response so quickly - we have a very active community and you will almost always get a response or two. Be patient!

Overall I think the list lacks variety. It will excel in some scenarios and against some forces and it will be crushed by others. That is the risk of the "eggs in one basket" style tactics.

I would agree that you need a BSB to really make a list like this work. Imagine one failed panic test forcing your unit of Ironguts and characters off the table!

Hey, there I'm really sorry for posting 3 messages in a row! I'm such an idiot. I've read the primer now so there shouldn't be anymore monkey business!

So what would be better to make it a more balanced army? splitting up the deathstar?
I haven't got back into the game to be a cheesy PROgamer but it's always nice to have an  army that stands a fighting chance!

Thanks for not banning me for my stupidness!

I personally would split your Gnoblars into 2x 20 and deploy them in front of your Scraplaunchers to prevent the Scrappies charging when you don't want them to.

I personally would split your Gnoblars into 2x 20 and deploy them in front of your Scraplaunchers to prevent the Scrappies charging when you don't want them to.

Ahh fantastic!
YEa that's a really good idea!

I might rid the trappers for extra points on things.

Also, would a single maneater be useful in this list for rear entering units/ scouts and skirmishers/ flank protection???

Thanks once more!

Tyrant: Thundermace, maw seeker (in I.G unit)
Butcher (in I.G unit)
3 bulls
3 bulls
16 Iron guts
40 gnoblars
10 trappers
Scraplauncher
scrapluancher
gorger
gorger

Okay, here's a little bit of advice from someone who plays a very similar list (although I play at 2500 points):

Firstly, swap out the Thundermace for a Tenderizer.  The Thundermace excels in killing rank and file, which an Irongut Horde can do without any issues whatsoever.  I'd also try to include a Crown of Command on the Tyrant, because Ld9 Stubborn is just that nice.

You really need a BSB.  Take him cheap, with a ward save and not much else (BoP works well here).  I'll show you where to free up some points.

The Trappers really aren't doing much, and honestly, there's no reason at all to take a big unit of Gnoblars in this type of army.  They don't do anything, they get left behind, and you're better off taking 2 minimum units for your Scrappies.  Drop the Trappers--they're wasted points in 8th.

Likewise, drop the Gorgers.  The earliest they can charge is T3, at which point you had better be in combat anyways and War Machines won't be useful.  I'd use that 200 points to purchase a BSB, drop an Irongut, and add the Runemaw to your unit.  Any other points can go towards the Bulls--more is definitely good here.